Ricky Pearsall on Brandon Aiyuk’s Absence: “He’s Human. We All Make Mistakes.”
SANTA CLARA - The 49ers may have notched a convincing 37-24 win over the Tennessee Titans, but the conversation in the locker room wasn’t all about touchdowns and takeaways. One day after San Francisco placed wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk on the reserve/left squad list, his former college teammate and current 49ers wideout Ricky Pearsall offered a heartfelt message of support.
Pearsall, who played alongside Aiyuk at Arizona State, didn’t shy away from addressing the situation. After a breakout performance-six catches on seven targets for 96 yards-Pearsall spoke less about his own game and more about the player who helped shape his path.
“I reach out to him every so often, and just shoot him a text,” Pearsall said. “Whether he answers or not, I know that he sees it, he looks at it and I’m just praying for the dude.”
This isn’t just about football for Pearsall. It’s personal. Aiyuk, a former first-round pick and a key piece of the 49ers’ offense in recent seasons, was someone Pearsall looked up to from the moment he stepped on campus in Tempe.
“We obviously want him to be here, and I have all the love for Brandon because he was a huge role model for me in my career,” Pearsall said. “I saw what it was like to be an elite receiver at ASU and as a freshman.”
The 49ers’ decision to place Aiyuk on the reserve list came after he failed to report to the team facility and missed required activities-actions that led the organization to void more than $20 million in contract guarantees for the 2026 season. While the move signals a serious rift between player and team, Aiyuk remains under contract, and head coach Kyle Shanahan hasn’t closed the door on a future reunion.
“It's extremely unfortunate that it's gotten to this point,” Shanahan said. “But when this year's over, we'll see where we're at.”
For Pearsall, the hope is that fans and observers don’t rush to conclusions. He acknowledged the complexity of the situation-especially with what’s reportedly been a prolonged contract dispute-but emphasized that there’s more to Aiyuk than what’s visible from the outside.
“I think he is OK,” Pearsall said. “It’s tough to see from an outside perspective, and I understand that there’s things that he may have done that [the organization doesn’t] agree with, or whatever happened in the past, with this whole contract situation.
What I do know is he’s a good dude. That’s what I do know.”
There’s a human side to this game that often gets lost in the headlines. Pearsall made that point clear. While the business of football can be unforgiving, the relationships built within locker rooms often run deeper than contracts and stat lines.
“I just think that we should stay away from judging the man because you never know what he’s going through and the emotions that he has,” Pearsall said. “I think it’s easy to point fingers and see what his faults are, but I think at the end of the day, it’s much bigger than the game.
He’s human. We all make mistakes.
None of us are perfect and we are all living this life for the first time too.”
As the 49ers continue their playoff push, Aiyuk’s absence looms large-not just on the field, but in the hearts of teammates who still believe in him. Pearsall’s words weren’t just about support-they were a reminder that behind every jersey number is a person navigating pressures most of us will never fully understand.